NCJ Number
139429
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 18 Issue: 1/2 Dated: (1992) Pages: 91-100
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A personalized bibliotherapy intervention approach was used to prevent the buildup of aggression in a 38-year-old prison inmate who had a low tolerance to perceived provocation.
Abstract
The client had a long history of violent offenses and was serving a life sentence for a brutal murder. Institutional behavior prior to his current term was marked by a large number of discipline reports, primarily for verbal and physical outbursts. Psychiatric assessment at the time of his trial labeled him an aggressive psychopath. The inmate underwent several 90-minute intervention sessions over a 2-month period. The personalized bibliotherapy procedure involved relaxation therapy to personalized "triggers," training to use coping self-statements, cognitive rehearsal, and anger diaries. A comparison of disciplinary reports of aggressive behavior before, during, and after intervention demonstrated a significant reduction in the absolute number of disciplinary episodes and movement over time toward a more positive mood state. In addition, interview and questionnaire feedback indicated a reduction in feelings of frustration, tension, and anger. 8 references, 2 tables, and 6 figures